The most memorable culinary experience of my life was the six blissful weeks I spent in Singapore back in 1991. There were two foods in particular that sent me into paroxysms -- one that I've been able to recreate (well almost) and another that still eludes me after all these years:

(1) Chili Crab. Wow. This stuff is heaven on a plate. It's one of those wierd concoctions that only a melting pot like Singapore could have come up with. It's basically crab quickly stir-fried in ginger, chilis and garlic and served in an incredible BBQ-like sauce that's made of a ketchup base, with fish sauce and chili sauce. There's one decent recipe online (http://www.thegutsygourmet.net/chili-crab.html) but I've had better luck with David Rosengarten's from his book Taste. It's messy like you wouldn't believe -- and you finish the delicious stuff by mopping up the leftover sauce with big, soft bread cubes. Ahhh.. Makes my mouth water just to think of it...

(2) Prawn Mee. Good, substantial lunch food. I must have had this three times a week or more -- every day we ate lunch in these things called "hawker centers" that were like fair midways -- a dozen or more little carts or shops selling incredibly cheap, good, and fast food. Sadly, it's the one thing I've never found a good recipe for anywhere. It's your basic noodle soup (kind of like a Vietnamese Pho) with prawns, and lots of other good whatnot thrown in. It's spicy, savory, a bit salty, and just the right mix of textures to satisfy your palate.

Posted: Sun Aug 06, 2006 11:51 am Post subject: It took me long enough but I think I found one...

I recently came across this -- it contains enough special purpose ingredients that I've not tried it yet, but this recipe has all the right hallmarks of a prawn mee the way I remember it. Can't wait to try it!

"chinese mustard" is not found in singapore. Chinese people in my native New York City have declaimed to me that singaporeans aren't real chinese, food-wise. I have to say, singaporeans sure do quack like malays or thais - foodwise, i mean.

my favorite singapore schtick is that characteristic buzzer noise that is sounded when the "walk/don't walk" indicator turns on to indicate that it is approved to cross the street.